Historic New England to open new visitor center at Jewett-Eastman

SOUTH BERWICK, Maine — Historic New England will open a new visitor center at its Jewett-Eastman House with an inaugural celebration on Saturday.

Comment

By Mark Pechenik

seacoastonline.com

By Mark Pechenik

Posted May. 30, 2014 at 2:00 AM

By Mark Pechenik

Posted May. 30, 2014 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

SOUTH BERWICK, Maine — Historic New England will open a new visitor center at its Jewett-Eastman House with an inaugural celebration on Saturday.

A regional, nonprofit historic preservation agency, Historic New England also counts the Hamilton House mansion adjacent to Vaughan Woods State Park among its local properties.

A highlight of the center's grand opening will be a juried art exhibition, "Here by the Sea: Contemporary Art of the Piscataqua."

"We wanted to do something that reflected Sarah Orne Jewett and her family's reverence for a lifestyle by the sea," said Brooke Steinhauser, site manager for the Jewett-Eastman House.

Featuring 29 local and regional artists presenting 38 works of art, the exhibition will take place at the center from Sunday, June 1, through mid-October. More than 100 submissions were considered for the exhibition.

"Early on, we agreed that we wanted it to be more than just about seascapes," said Raegan Russell, a member of the event's judging panel who also serves as director of art education at Berwick Academy. "Instead, we focused on artists who offered their own unique interpretations of what it is like to live and work by the sea."

Steinhauser said the new visitor center is a significant expansion of Historic New England's commitment to the Maine and New Hampshire coasts.

"We'll be offering a real admissions experience for those who will be coming to the Jewett-Eastman House," she said. "Visitors will be greeted by a guide before touring the house and be able to enjoy amenities such as the upcoming art exhibition."

The center also represents expanded operations for Historic New England in the area.

"We'll be open a couple of weekends every month during the winter," Steinhauser said.

Immediately after the art exhibit, the visitor center will be the site of a special exhibition on the history of historic preservation throughout the winter season. The center will also be available for special functions such as birthday parties and community meetings. The expansion plans will enable Historic New England to be "more of a public entity" on the Seacoast, Steinhauser said.